Lithuania Keeps Russian Billionaires Usmanov and Fridman Under National Sanctions After EU Delisting
Lithuania has imposed national sanctions on Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman after the EU removed them from its lists, banning them from entering the country for five years and declaring them persona non grata, while Latvia and Estonia say they plan similar steps.
Lithuania is keeping two prominent Russian businessmen under national sanctions even after the European Union dropped them from its own lists.
Authorities in Vilnius imposed restrictions on Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman at the national level, declaring them persona non grata and banning them from entering Lithuania for five years. Officials said the measures can be reviewed later and potentially extended.
Latvia and Estonia also intend to introduce national sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman, according to available reporting. If those plans go ahead, all three Baltic states will bar the men from their territory despite the EU delisting.
The EU decision to remove the billionaires from its sanctions regime followed internal debates over legal risk and evidence. National measures in Lithuania, and potentially in Latvia and Estonia, don’t restore any EU‑level asset freezes but do prevent the businessmen from traveling to that region and signal a different political stance.
For Usmanov and Fridman, the immediate effect is on their freedom of movement and on how they are perceived in countries that have taken a harder line. Being declared persona non grata in several member states can influence how banks and business partners assess the risks of working with them, even after they leave the EU’s central lists.
For the Baltic governments, the steps underline their view that proximity to Russia justifies tighter controls on high‑profile Russian figures. They see targeted national bans as a way to mitigate what they regard as security risks and to maintain pressure on individuals they associate with Kremlin interests.
Developments to follow include whether Latvia and Estonia formalize their own national sanctions, whether any larger EU members adopt similar measures, and whether Usmanov or Fridman challenge the Baltic decisions in court.
Sources
- OSINT